Ten years old and helping others
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – When you think of people making a positive difference in the lives of others, a ten year old may not immediately spring to mind, but there is one such ten year old in Kalamazoo who is doing that and more.
His name is Alex Clements, a student at Maple Street Magnet School with a rare form of muscular dystrophy.
The National Muscular Dystrophy Association tapped Alex as its 2009 state ambassador.
"My body's supposed to produce a sticky protein called dystrophin," said Alex, "it's what holds people's muscles together, then for some reason, my body doesn't produce dystrophin."
Alex has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and he's lived with it for years.
"About six years, I was diagnosed when I was four," said Alex. "I can do everything kids my age can do, like climb on monkey bars and jump rope and ride a bike."
For 2009, Alex was named the Muscular Dystrophy Association's ambassador for the State of Michigan.
"I just tell them what muscular dystrophy is," said Alex. "My type is called Duchenne."
"They found that Alex was quite the little celebrity," said Alex's mother, Kristin Clements. "He really enjoyed getting up in front of people and talking. He had this tremendous ability to draw people to him."
Alex travels all over Michigan, speaking at events to raise money for research.
"We had spoke to the MDA girls and they figured we put almost 2,000 miles traveling within the state," said Alex's father, Marc Clements. "To see Alex kind of come up in his own where he feels most comfortable going and talking to literally hundreds of people is literally just amazing."
Alex is one Michigan child who is certainly making a difference.
"There are times when I sit back and think, who is this child, where did he come from," said Kristin.
"I feel really good when people donate money for MDA," said Alex.
Alex has said that when his year is up, he promises he'll keep working for the cause.
"They said they'd come up with a name for me, even if I'm not ambassador, they said they'll come up with a name for me." said Alex.
